Humidifier



April 19 1927. 11,625,663

w. H. KELLY HUMIDIFIER Filed June 16. 192e 2 sheets-sheet 1 a mnmmm'mmii muy 1,625,663 W. H. KELLY HUMIDIFIER April A19, 1927.

F'1`ed Jne 16. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ualities, as will be seen from the` following ...y a

Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

UNITED STATES. PATENT oFFicE.

WILLIAM HAnnY KELLY," or CHARLOTTE, Non'rn cAaoLiNA, Assreiron or oituramn'ro CHARLES ir. xETsTLER, or

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

l numnnrnin.

Application sied :une 1e, 192e. semi m3116354.'

The invention relates to humidifiers'. The object of this device is to secure a. simple 'and eflicient means of humldifying small areas, .such as tobacco cases and com- 5 partments where the introduction of free moisture i's not desirable, butV where a sube `stantial circulation of air must be secured,

preferably without the use' of a" fan.

There are numerous devices of 'this charl acter on the market-,but this invention contains peculiar j points of advantage rendering it much more etliclent and of a cost `much reduced belowl that of existing types. 'The majority of devicesof this character 415 blow `air over mois'tened surfaces with a fan; or heat the water and depend upon the vapor given oi at the somewhat higher temperature producin vapor pressure of substantial amounts. nl my. device, however I take advantage of the property of beate air to hold" increasing amounts of moisture per cubic foot, and the fact that air when.

so heated decidedly increases its labsorptive ustration. p For instance, referring -to the Weather Bureau psychrometic tables, it will be seen that'a cubic foot of air at 70 ,degrees F. will contain a maximum amount of mois- 30 ture of 7.98 grains, and if this samecubic foot of air is heated to 80 degrees, it will then contain 10.93 gra-ins; to 100" degrees, 19.77 grains, and to 110 degrees 26.11 grains.

' So, it is evident that as the temperatureof the air is increased its moisture absorbing properties are also increased at a-very much more rapid rate. I am taking advantagel of-this roperty in the arrangement ofthe parts o my moistening device, whereby the lair circulating through the apparatus is hea-ted to a higher temperature before it passes over the moisturel reducing substance. Heating the' air in t 1s way gives it a much greater capacity to absorb moisture,

115 and conse uently I secure an increased evaporative e ect,as well as obtaining a. higher circulation of air, than in other machines that merelyheat the `waterfor heat the air after it hasbeen in contact with the water.-

While I realize tliathumidifiers havebeen devised which are designed to bring a small portion of Vheated air in Contact with an absorbent medium, yet in these devices the arrangement of parts is such that only a thin outer layer of air is effective. The present trative embodiment of a preferred form of ing through the jar cover 23, whereb -device is designed to bring a very large portion of air, after havingbeen heated, into p intimatecontactwith the absorbent medium.

Inthe drawings there is shown an illusmy invention, in which I A Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete humidifier ready for use.

'Fig'. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, parts being shownin plan. Y 65 Fig. 3 is central vertical section, certain parts being shown in elevation, and

Fig.'4 is an end view taken alon the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, and looking in the irection of the arrows.

Referring to the several figures, the` reference numeral 10 denotes a basin or box which is supported upon legs 11, of sui'- cient height to hold the bottom 12 of the basin above the compartment in -which lit is placed, thus allowing for circulation of air upwardly through the central portion, which is perforated as at 13 (Fig. 3) to permit Ythe free admission of air. The basin `10 comprises a box having sides 36 and a pluralitly of water-tight' partitions, indicated by re erence numerals 14, 15 and 16, which form compartments 17, 18, 19 and 20. Compa-rb, ment -17 holds the water reservoir 21, conveniently made of an ordinary fruit jar, provided with -,a valve arrangement 22, passwater can be retained in the ,jarafter filling and while .lowering into the holder 24.

When the jar 21 is laced in position, the stem of'v valve 22 will) engage a stop 25, thus opening.y the valve,-whereu on water will flow from the containeran fill compartments 18, 19 and 17, openings 26 being provided in partition 14Y to allow access to the compartments or wells 18 and 19. The water level in these compartments will reach the height of the aperture 37 vin thebottom 23 of the liquid container, when atmospheric pressure will prevent further ow vuntil the level of the water`as evaporated is loweredA below this opening, when thelevel will a ain be equalized, this action continuing unti all of the water is .drained from the 'reservoir`21.

ments or wells 18 and 19 is an arched plate 30, preferably of brass, and perforated as at 31. Strung over -this plate is a series of cotton wicks 32 fastened at their lower ends on each side to the bottom of the arch 30, the level of the water in the compartments or wells 1S, 19 beingsuch that the lower ends: of the wicks 32 are submerged, and by capillary attraction the entire arched length of wicks 32 soon becomes saturated with water. These wicks do not entirely till up the erforated metal arch 30, but space is let"v etween each convolution.

Immediately below the lamp 28 is the perforated plate 33.

A removable cover 34 is provided for thc purpose of properly protecting the lamp and wick from injury, this cover serves as a dctlector and is provided with side openings adjacent the top thereof as at 35, whereby the draft of air generated by the heat of the electric lamp is properly drawn across the wickingA and discharged with considerable velocity in cach direction.

The operation ot the apparatus is as tollows: Reservoir 21 being filled with water and placed in its receptacle 24 and the wicks 32 being suitably inoistened thereby, the

lamp 28 is connected by the cord 2t) to a suitable source of electric current. Immediately the globe heats, the air becomes warmed and due to natural law rises, passes through the perforated metal in the arch above it, and comes into intimate contact with the damp wicks 32.` The temperature ot' this air being comparatively high, it seizes a considerable amount of moisture from the wicking and becomes heavil loaded, and as this air is forced aside by tlie action of the heat producing lamp below it, a very decided circulation is established, whereby the moist, saturated air issues from the side opening 35 and spreads in each direction.

There is therefore a circulation of air established through the box and out at the top, and as is well-known highly humidified air travels rapidly and in the-size ot' cabinet to which the respective sizes oi this device are adapted conditions ot humidity 'become surprisingly uniform over the interior.

The etiiciency of this device is illustrated in the following actual record ot test made on the working model.

Air entering the base at degrees F. and 40% relative humidity has its temperature 'aised by the lamp 28 to 120 degrees F.. and after passingaround the moistened wicks 32 it issues from the top opening 35 with a relative humidity ot approximately 95% and a temperature of 92 degrees Fl It will be seen therefore that more than 10 grains ot' moisture are added to each cubic foot of air passing through the device, and on account of the fact that the disposition of the parts is Leal-mea such as to allow a free circulation, and the 'further fact that the moistened air issuing does not contain any` free moisture, there is no tendency i or the moistened air to fall and re-enter the base, thereby causing re-circulation. The moistened air as it issues spreads to the far side of the enclosure in which the device is placed, and diffuses evenly throughout the interior, the circulation of air being secured through the device by means of the lamp, or other heating element, taking the cool, drier air "from the bottom of the container.

It is also evident thatthis device can be adapted to different sizes of containing cabinets by the mere interchange of heating clef ments. For instance. a cabinet having a volume ot' ten or twelve cubic 'feet can be easily luuuiditied with an electric lamp having a capacity ot approximately 40 watts, and tor a larger cabinet by merely increasing the size oi the lamp the additional vol uiuc is easily taken care of.

lt is also evident that other forms of heating elements can be employed other than incandescent lamps, the requirement being to produce a draft of air which is heated and then passed over the moisture-producing mechanism.

Having described my device and its operation. I now claim as new:

1. A humidifier, comprising` a heating element, means for supplying dry air to the heating element` liquid containing wells located on opposite sides ot the heating element, a perforated arched plate supported in said wells and bridging over the heating element, wicks laid across said arched plate and having their extremities extending into the liquid in said wells.

2. A humiditier, comprising a heating element, means for supplying dry air to the heating element from below, liquid containing wells located on opposite sides of the heating element, a perforated arched plate supported in said wells and bridging over the heating element, wicks laid across said arched plate and having their extremities extendingl into the liquid in said wells, and means kt'or supplying additional liquid to said wells when the level falls below a predetermined point.

A humidifier comprising a heating compartment, havin@ its bottom perforated to permit access oki-` air, an incandescent lamp located in said compartment, liquid containing wells located on opposite sides ot the heating compartment, a perforated arched plate` supported in said wells and bridging over the incandescent lamp, and a plurality of wicks laid at intervals across the arched plate and having their extremities extending into the liquid in said Wells.

4. A humidifier comprising a box having a plurality ot compartments, including a Btl lie'atine compartment the bottom of which lll 'is per constituting li uid containing wells located on oppositesig es of the heating compart-` ment, a perforated arched plate supported is perforate l a two side vcon'ipartnients eonstitutingliquid orated, and two side compartments in the wells and bridging over the heatin r compartment, and a plurality of Wicks laid at intervals across said arch, and having their extremities extending into the liquid in said Wells. 4

5.- A humidiiei` comprising a boxliaving a plurality of compartments, including a heating com artment, the' bottom of which to permit access of air, and

containing wells located on opposite sides of the heating coii'ipartineiit, a perforated arched plate supported in said wells Vand bridging over the heating compartment, a

plurality of wicks laid at intervals across said arched plate and having'their extremil ties extending into the liquid in said wells,

and a reservoir to supplyV liquid to said ivelis.

6. A humidifier comprising a box having a plurality of compartments, including a heat-ing compartment perforated to permit access of air, and two side compartments constituting liquid containing Wells located on opposite sides of the heating compartment, a reservoir for supplying liquid to said wells, a perforated arched plate supported in said wells and bridging over the eating con'ipart'inent, a plurality of spaced Wicks laid at intervals across said arched plate and having their extremities extending' at the upper side portion thereof, to permit exit of air.

vIn testimony whereof I atiix my signature.

WILLIAMl Hanni? KELLY. 

